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Roller disco, Roger Hill Peels off, art for kids and motorbikes...

....It can only be Heather Smith's weekend top tips

Published on October 8th 2009.

Wheels on fireRevert to retro this Saturday afternoon and take the family to one of Liverpool University’s roller discos. The floor won’t be sticky and the bar won’t be smelly, there shouldn’t even be a stude in sight.

Organisers Superfunk are trying out new events, one of which being a Saturday afternoon skate slot for families and teens. Dress up to get down, they say. Dig out those legwarmers, sweatbands and sun visors, all 70s and 80s fashion welcomed.

Whether you’re a first-timer or a roller-legend, everyone is welcome for a whirl on the dance floor where DJ Mickey Blue Eyes will be choosing the tunes, and the skating direction.

Skate hire is only £1 but you can bring your own, if you’re that cool.

Peel and interestingThis Sunday marks the fifth anniversary of John Peel’s last live BBC broadcast. The idea of a ‘John Peel Day,’ originally setup by the BBC to allow people to organise events in memory, has had notable success over the past few years with events ranging from gigs to football tournaments with people like The Farm and the La's running about.

Roger Hill, from the wireless, has organised a ‘DJ for the day’ event for this year which will take place at the Bluecoat on Sunday afternoon. Participants will be asked to bring along, introduce and play one record of their choice.

Everybody will be asked to make a £1 donation to Shelter, John’s charity of choice.

*John Peel Day, Sun 11th Oct, the Bluecoat, £1 donation to Shelter

Scrawl or nothingFed up with your children trying out their creative “streak” with permanent marker on your living room walls, their bedding and pictures of your mother in law, then encourage your little artists to scrawl along to the Walker Art Gallery this weekend.

It's Big Draw tima again and free classes involve wire drawing which will be added to the gallery’s sculpture exhibition, or experimenting with long sheets of paper, which will form part of the large scale paper weaving piece. Who knows, it could be the first of many art shows they contribute to?

In small groups with a supervisor/super artist, attendees will discover these new, exciting ways of drawing – which they will no doubt be all too keen to try back on that picture of granny, too.

Pillion pushersDo you know a cruiser from a tourer, a scooter from a moped? Well, you might, just might, mid you, just be interested in Prescot Museum’s new exhibition ‘Megaphones and Magnetos: A History of the British Motorcycle.’

It looks back to the glory days when the British biking industry was the world’s biggest and best. Singles, twins, triples – we made them all. And we made them affordable.

BSA, Triumph, Ariel, Royal Enfield and Dot are just some of the big manufacturing names that feature in the museum’s sizeable display of riding gear, owners’ manuals and trophies, range of photographs, magazines and news articles.

A selection of motorcycles make up part of the show, too, as you would expect.